Debt of Honor
by Shutterbug5269
Summary: Melinda May visits Peggy Carter in the nursing home to inform her of the death of Antoine Triplett. From a tumblr prompt. *spoilers for the spring premeire*


**Debt of Honor**

Melinda May strode into the small VA hospital like she owned the place, dressed as she was in her cover identity as a Lt. Colonel in the United States Army She removed her cover as soon as she walked in the door taking a perverse satisfaction in the way the two enlisted men standing sentry inside snapped smartly to attention at the sight of the rank insignia on her collar.

Not three weeks ago men dressed just like them were pointing guns at her with orders to shoot to kill. Almost by habit, she calculated how many moves it would take to render both of them either incapacitated or dead with the least effort expended. If this self-appointed mission she had taken went south, she might need the sidearms on their belts.

They had not been here the last time. Obviously a new addition given she was a former Agent and Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. on the off-hand chance she was faking her condition to evade prosecution.

"If only that were the case." May thought to herself, This sad detail wouldn't be nearly as heartbreaking if Peggy could recognize her so she could offer her comfort properly.

Like everyone else in the single active cell that remained of S.H.I.E.L.D. May had been deeply effected by the loss of Antoine Triplett. She more than anyone else when she looked at his file and noted his only remaining next of kin.

**Carter, Margaret E. Leftenant RAF SAS SSR (Ret.)**

Relation: Maternal Grandmother.

She took the on the responsibility for informing her former SO of the death of her last living relative personally. She owed Peggy that much, even in her severely diminished capacity. She was one of the last to truly know Peggy Carter before Alzheimer's syndrome slowly robbed her of everything, reducing her to a shell of who she once was, only months before the love of her life, Steve Rodgers was recovered alive in the arctic.

Before S.H.I.E.L.D. had imploded early last year, Natasha Romanov had related to her the haunted expression in Rodgers' eyes the one time he had gone there to see her. In spite of Nat's incredible reserve and near total lack of sentimentality, May could tell from the wistful tone of her voice and the fleeting softness in the younger redhead's eyes that she grieved in her own way for her new-found friend.

Who would have guessed? The Black Widow had a heart after all.

May signed the register using the alias she had selected for the mission. Mass Effect had been one of Triplett's favorite diversions in his down time. He would have gotten a kick out of "The Cavalry" introducing herself as Lt Col. Miranda Lawson.

The two guards certainly got a snicker or two out of it. They were respectful enough to her face, when she glared at them though. When the floor charge nurse finally decided that her paperwork was in order, she was led to the door of Peggy's room at the assisted living facility. When the door closed behind her she heard the lock snap shut.

"Peggy, it's me, Mellie" May whispered quietly.

Peggy Carter turned and upon sight of her uniform, snapped to near full attention, her right hand rising smartly to her brow. Leftenant Carter, reporting for duty, sir!" She even managed to get her slipper covered heels to snap together. Her mind's eye seeing something entirely different from the woman she had trained to be a living weapon.

"As you were." Melinda replied sadly, returning the salute casually.

"Peggy, it's about Antoine." Melinda stated, seeing Peggy perk up, her eyes radiating joy, it broke May's heart to be the one to take that beaming smile off her face.

"Antoine? Is my favorite grandson coming to visit?"

Melinda knew that she wasn't getting anywhere trying to soften the blow, so she fell back on the cold protocol for these things.

"Agent Carter, on behalf of Director Coulson I regret to inform you of the death of your grandson Antoine Triplett and convey the Director's sincere condolences for your loss.."

Peggy's smile drained away from her face, along with any of her skin color.

"He's...he's dead?" She whispered as tears streamed down her face "my little Antoine?"

He was killed in action against Hydra on the ninth of December.

"Hydra killed Antoine?" Peggy choked out as she collapsed onto the comfortable chair by the window, "Why? He was just a little boy...he was just my sweet little boy..."

Melinda May watched as Peggy Carter deflated in front of her eyes, heartbroken. Her lament about the sweet little boy Trip had once been, the little boy who had only continued to exist in her mind. Once upon a time, nobody who had wanted to keep their teeth would so much as whisper to her face that he was adopted and not her flesh and blood.

Peggy's words blended together into indecipherable gibberish, bracketed by loud, choking sobs as Melinda watched. She imagined this must have been what she had been like when she thought Captain America had died, taking Steve Rodgers, the man she loved with him.

Melinda ran her hand over Peggy's shoulder offering what little comfort she could, when the woman snapped her head up, snatched her hand and her eyes bored deep into her skull. For a moment, Agent Peggy Carter was present...only darker. The look Peggy leveled her with was filled with hate... and spite, something Melinda May had never experienced coming from her mentor before.

"Kill them... Mellie... Kill them all... for what they did to my sweet little boy." Peggy whispered through watery eyes.

Then, as quickly as it began, the moment of clarity ended and the light in Peggy Carter's eyes was gone again...likely never to return.

"Gotta get dolled up... Steve's gonna take me dancing..." she muttered as Agent May helped her comfortable in her chair by the window.

Watching her mentor dragged back down into oblivion by the awful disease that stole her mind...robbed Agent Peggy Carter of everything that had made her a legend at S.H.I.E.L.D. broke Melinda May's heart into a million pieces.

Agent Peggy Carter had been a vital, capable Specialist, even in her late sixties when May was training with her. To see her like this twisted Melinda May up in knots, but she would move heaven and earth to do what Peggy asked. Follow her last command.

Unless otherwise directed by Philip Coulson, she would kill every Hydra agent that crossed her path. Every single goddamned one of them. They would wish they were facing the Black Widow when she was done with them... until her rage was expended.

She'd do it for Peggy.

_****Author's Note** This prompt was a difficult one for me to fill. For the last few years of his life, I watched Alzheimer's rob my father of his mind and everything that made him who he was. In the end he died of pneumonia on July 21st, 2007 in the nursing home we had to put him in because we were forced to choose between mom and dad after his dementia became too much for us to manage at home. Everything that made dad...dad was already long gone by then.**_


End file.
